Creative arts cast their spell over second-graders

Lubbock Arts Festival continues through Sunday

Above, students observe a painting during LISD Day at the Lubbock Arts Festival on Friday, April 12, at the Memorial Civic Center. At right, Ethan Duran takes a turn on the drums at the festival's School of Rock booth.

Wide-eyed second-graders descended on the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center on Friday, April 12, for a quick immersion in the creative arts at this year’s Lubbock Arts Festival.

Students from Lubbock’s Smith, Stewart, Waters, Wester and Whiteside elementary schools settled down on the floor in front of the Pedestrian Walkway Stage to watch the Hub City Theatre Group’s production of “The Little Mermaid.”

They sat in rapt attention while Tammy Brooks beautifully sang “Part of Your World” from the stage.

Callie Tidwell, a second-grader from Wester, gave this review later: “I liked that they had beautiful voices, and I liked that we learned a lot of dancing and singing.”

She was accompanied by her teacher, Christina Sanchez.

Brooks, who is in 11th grade at Plainview Christian Academy, said the Hub Performing Arts School’s Advanced Performance Team will present the play again Saturday, April 13, at the Arts Festival, then May 10-11 and May 17-18 at Lubbock-Cooper Middle School.

“I’ve always loved musical theater,”

she said, and added, “I plan to go to college at Wayland (Baptist University) in Plainvew and then maybe end up opening my own theater school or something that is musical theater-related.”

Kristen Johnston, second-grade teacher at Bozeman, said the students were excited to be at the Arts Festival, and fascinated with all the art.

“They don’t get to see a whole lot of art every day, so this is a really eye-opening experience.”

She deferred to student Travis Mitchell for a comment on the Exhibit Hall portion of the Arts Festival.

“I liked the man who makes the hearts,” he said.

Second-graders Taryn Porter and Erin Thompson from Preston Smith Elementary stopped for a moment of animated conversation and a thoughtful critique of one booth’s paintings.

“What would you say?” Taryn asked, looking at the paintings, and Erin replied, “I like the design up there in that corner, and I like all the swirly lines on this one.”

Some students passed by many of the booths in single-file order, and a few paused for a taste of kettle corn.

Was it easy for booth operator Linda Hulsey to get them to stop?

“Oh sure, it’s really easy to get the kids to try stuff. They seem to enjoy it every year. Teachers sometimes will buy a bag or two to pass out to them on the bus ride back to school.”

Loren Mendez, Bozeman second-grader, liked the photography exhibit. “I like the plants, and they have some animals with the plants — like the birds up there in the tree.”

But the picture of the buffalo made her think about how difficult it must be to get a drink of water with the fur under his chin.

Bowie second-grader Angel Estrada didn’t single out any particular art exhibit: “I like all the art projects,” he said.

David Case, owner of Stargazer Ranch Studio in the Texas town of Spring, drew a crowd of children around his demonstration of pen-and-ink drawing.

“I was telling them that basically the closer I put my lines together the darker it is, and the wider they are the lighter it is. That’s what you try to do — you try to balance the light and the dark in order to get the white, shadows and stuff like that.”

He added, “They were listening. I love talking to kids — they’re the artists of tomorrow.”

ray.westbrook@lubbockonline.com

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The festival continues

 When: Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

 Where: Lubbock Memorial

Civic Center, 1501 Mac Davis Lane.

 Cost: Adults, $3 and kids 11 and younger, $2.

 Featured artist: Baron Batch, former Texas Tech football player now with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

 Special event: West Texas Running Club Run for the Arts. Saturday, 8 a.m., north of the Civic Center. More at wtrunning.com.